1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pallet conveyor, and in one aspect to an improved accumulating conveyor and method of controlling the movement and separation of articles on the conveyor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conveyors for pallets wherein the pallets are moved along a plurality of parallel rollers and the pallets are moved by a chain engaging the center of the pallet to pull it along on the rollers is not new per se. U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,380 discloses a conveyor to drive articles from a single chain. The chain is moved vertically to engage the articles on the conveyor and the conveyor will continually crowd the articles such that as a unit is moved off of the conveyor the next item on the conveyor is moved forward to the unloading position and when it is unloaded, the next element is advanced forward to the unloading position. In this prior device with the pallets crowded on the conveyor, the operation of the conveyor requires more power as the chain is constantly frictionally contacting the pallets and the movement of the pallets less orderly than is desirable.
The present invention provides a solution to the prior difficulties encountered in handling the pallets on the accumulating conveyors. An advantage of the present invention is that the conveyor maintains the pallets separated along the conveyor. Further, the present invention provides a control means for the accumulating conveyor such that individual pallets will operate the controls, the drive on a pallet is discontinued when it is stopped and, removal of one pallet from the discharge end of the conveyor serves to energize the driving mechanisms to advance all of the pallets on the conveyor by one step.